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"The staff were implementing our policy but I think you have to make exceptions in cases like that.

"Once we became aware of it, we immediately refunded to Dr Sattar the money we regret having taken from him in such tragic circumstances."

Dr Sattar, a 52-year-old surgeon, works in Ireland and lives in Dublin but flew over to see his family three Fridays in every month. They had moved to Leicester five years ago to complete Islamic studies, but had been due to return to Ireland in the next few months.

Dr Sattar had his return ticket booked to travel last Friday as usual but, after being woken at 3am that day and told his family's house was on fire, he immediately changed his plans so he could return as soon as possible.

Arriving in Dublin Airport at about 5.30am – just moments after Leicestershire Police had confirmed by phone that no member of his family had survived the blaze – he approached the Ryanair check-in desk to see if he could change his ticket.

Distraught, and with tears streaming down his face, he explained why he had to change his 9.40pm flight to East Midlands Airport to the 6.30am flight to Birmingham – but he was told he would have to buy a new ticket.

He produced his credit card and was charged 187.46 Euros – about £158 – for a one-way ticket to Birmingham.

He told the Irish Daily Mail: "I don't want to make a big deal about it but it did shock me. I really did not expect them to charge me.

"I thought, given the circumstances, they might just let me transfer flights, as I had already paid for a return fare."

Speaking on Irish TV channel RTE yesterday, Dr Sattar explained how he was meant to be in the house on the night of the fire but had to stay in Dublin.

He said Allah "did not want that I should be in the house at that time, or I'd have been burnt as well".

Dr Sattar added: "We're not allowed to be angry with god. My heart is broken, I'm allowed to cry, but I'm not going to complain."

An inquest in Leicester heard yesterday that Mrs Taufiq and her children died of smoke inhalation.